Crematorium OK'd for Clarke office park in Bethel

Updated 10:11 pm, Monday, August 4, 2014

BETHEL -- Town land-use officials have cleared the way for a crematorium to be developed in the Clarke Business Park.

Officials with the town's Planning and Zoning Commission approved the use for the industrial park zone during their regular meeting on July 22 at the request of a local entrepreneur who was interested in the business.

Shawn McLoughlin, owner of a MonoCrete, precast concrete company on Trowbridge Drive in the park, has said that he would be interested in constructing a state-of-the-art crematorium as an addition to his current business.

For decades, the company has been making precast concrete products including underground vaults that are used for burials. However, demand for the underground vaults have waned in recent years as cremations have become a more popular and inexpensive alternative to traditional burials.

"When I started in the vault business, 15 to 20 percent of deaths were cremations, but that number is close to 50 percent now," McLoughlin, who could not be reached for comment Monday, said recently when unveiling the proposal. "Somebody's got to do it. There are not enough crematoriums in the state to deal with what's going on in the industry. We've been around a long time and have a good reputation. We have kept our business by being reliable and responsible."

Mike Boyle, chairman of the town's economic development commission, has expressed concerns that a crematorium may not be the best use for the park as officials look to expand the facility.

Local economic development officials announced last week that they received a $100,000 state grant that will be used to design a 10-acre expansion of the park past McLoughlin's business on Trowbridge Drive.

The expansion could make way for as many as five two-acre parcels or could be developed to include condo-style commercial units that would further increase the potential density at the site.

Economic development director Janice Chrzescijanek said a consultant has been hired who will study the property and recommend a variety of layouts for the site. In the end, Chrzescijanek said, officials will select what's in the best interest of the town and what plan might be most marketable moving forward.

Land-use officials said Monday that McLoughlin has yet to submit a site plan application for a crematorium.